EDITORIAL COMMENT
A winter of festivals and fun in the Winelands
After a wonderful month of May,
with gloriously sunny and wind­free
days, it appears that winter has fi­
nally settled in.
But the cold wet weather brings its own
pleasures in the form of cosy fires, comfort
food and of course plenty of red wine.
While nature is at rest and the vines are
slowly shedding their bronze and amber­col­
oured blanket of leaves as they settle into their
annual slumber, there is a feast of celebra­
tions and festivals on the menu this month
to keep us all in good spirits.
Take your pick from the Feast of the Helder­
berg at the NH Lord Charles Somerset Hotel,
the Shiraz & Charcuterie Festival at Harten­
berg, Durbanville Wine Valley’s Sip Soup &
Bread Festival, Wacky Wine Festival in Rob­
ertson Valley, Mushroom Week at Delheim
or Cook Franschhoek – all the details are in
the diary on page 3.
On page 8 we tell you all about Hermanus
FynArts, which promises to be a unique event
that embraces all the arts, from music, litera­
ture and the visual arts to food and wine,
combined with lively demonstrations and in­
teractive workshops.
Several wineries on the Hermanus R320
Wine Route will be taking part in FynArts,
as well as the countless fine dining establish­
ments and art galleries the town has become
famous for. Another bonus for visitors to Her­
manus during the FynArts celebration is that
this is the time of year when the whales start
to arrive, turning it into the land­based whale
watching capital of the world. There has nev­
er been a better reason to visit this popular

area.
Next month sees the return of the Breede­
kloof Wine Valley’s Soetes & Soup Festival,
a not­to­be­missed festival that is sure to
warm body and soul. Last year’s event was
an absolute joy, even as we trudged through
the cold and rain from one venue to another.
At every participating winery we were re­
ceived with Breedekloof’s particular brand of
hearty hospitality and indulged in the re­
gion’s award­winning wines paired with an
interesting array of soups and other local spe­
cialities.
If you can, do make a weekend of it as
it is a big area to cover in one day and you
will be more than tempted to stay overnight.
Visit www.breedekloof.com for more infor­
mation.

hedda.mittner@hermanustimes.co.za

Winederous
30 Mei, 2013

3

Diary ­ June
Saturday 1 June
Feast of Shiraz & Charcuterie at
Hartenberg:
Kick the cold weather
to the curb by revel­
ling in some of South
Africa’s finest Syrahs
from leading cellars
paired with an ar­
ray of meaty indul­
gencies at the an­
nual
Feast
of
Shiraz & Charcu­
terie at Harten­
berg Wine Estate
from 12 noon until
17:00.
Carl Schultz,
the celebrated
winemaker
at
Hartenberg who is widely
regarded as one of South Africa’s oldest and
leading producers of Shiraz for almost 40 years,
has invited a select group of winemakers to
present their cellar gems on this festive occasion.
They will be joined by some of the best local char­
cuterie masters, cheese makers and olive enthusi­
asts whose offerings will complement this hardy
varietal.
Tickets cost R180 per person, including a tast­
ing glass, and are available online at
www.webtickets.co.za. For more information,
call 084 207 3820 or send an email to
info@dnaevents.co.za. Hartenberg is situated
on the Bottelary Road off the R304 to Stellen­
bosch. Visit www.hartenbergestate.com.

Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 June
Soup weekend at Durbanville Hills:
Keep the winter chills at bay by joining Durban­
ville Hills Wines for a weekend of soup, wine
and a sunset run in the vineyards.
Tuck into a heart­warming selection of soups
and breads for lunch with Durbanville Hills’
wines on sale throughout the afternoon. The
Chase the Sunset trail which runs over 5 and
10 km will take place on the Saturday evening
and is the perfect way to experience the rolling
hills that make this wine region so spectacular.
The sunset trail run starts at 17:00 with registra­
tion on the day from 16:00. The cost is R60 pp.
The run meanders through the scenic vine­
yards that surround the cellar and this, coupled
with a healthy dose of fresh air, will certainly
let you work up an appetite to enjoy a warm

bowl of soup afterwards.
A soup and bread buffet lunch is offered both
Saturday and Sunday between 12 noon until
15:00 at a cost of R145 per person. Booking
is essential. Contact Simone Brown at
021 558 1300 or send an email to info@dur­
banvillehills.co.za.
Thursday
6 June
Taste of the Hel­
derberg: The 5th
annual Taste of the
Helderberg show­
case promises a
smorgasbord of
exquisite
food
and wine from
this prime wine­
making triangle
stretching from
Somerset West
to Stellenbosch
and Sir Lowry’s
Pass Village.
For one night
only, the NH Lord
Charles Hotel in Somerset West will be trans­
formed into a Helderberg wine and dine hotspot
for enthusiasts to enjoy a sensory overload of
more than 100 local wines and signature dishes
from seven eminent restaurants jotted along the
Helderberg Wine Route – all under one roof.
The doors will be open from 17:00 to 21:00
and tickets cost R70 per person, which include
an elegantly branded wine glass and access to
the fruits of the Helderberg Winelands which will
also be for sale at the show.
During and after the wine tastings, guests can
relax in cosy chill areas or make use of the hotel’s
restaurant for dinner. Pre­bookings for the res­
taurant are recommended to avoid disappoint­
ment. Call 021 855 1040 to make a reservation.
For more information and to reserve your tick­
ets contact Bjorn van Oort at bjorn@cvomarket­
ing.co.za or 021 981 0216. Tickets will also be
available at the door.
As part of the route’s commitment to responsi­
ble drinking and driving, the NH Lord Charles
is offering an accommodation special on the
evening: call the hotel directly on 021 855 1040
and quote reference: Taste of the Helderberg ac­
commodation.
Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 June
Wacky Wine Weekend: This year marks the
10th anniversary of the Robertson Wine Valley’s
biggest annual wine festival, the ever­popular
Wacky Wine Weekend sponsored by KykNET.
This celebration takes place over four festive
days, with 48 wineries showcasing their wines
and a myriad of attractions and activities that
include master wine­tastings, wine and food
pairings, educational wine presentations and
private tastings with the valley’s most esteemed
winemakers.
Other fun­filled activities include ‘meet­the­
winemaker’ tastings, brandy tours and tastings,
fun wine competitions, river cruises, tractor trips,

c
heese and olive tastings, a mountain bike chal­
lenge, a fresh goods market and local perform­
ing artists. The Valley will also be presenting a
gastronomic extravaganza, with oysters, sushi,
riverside picnics and potjiekos just a few of the
gourmet delights on offer.
A passport is R100 per person for the whole
weekend and can be purchased at the first port­
of­call, ie at any of the participating wineries.
The passport includes a tasting glass, free 25 ml
wine­tasting samples, and a “goodie” bag.
As part of the Robertson Wine Valley’s Zero
Tolerance Policy towards drinking and driving
visitors are requested to make use of the Buddy
Bus for transport between the participating wine­
ries. There are also Bus­In and Fly­In packages
available that include flights, car rental and ac­
commodation.
For the full programme of activities, visit the
new website www.wackywineweekend.com.
Many of the activities need to be pre­booked di­
rectly with the respective wineries. Contact the
Robertson Wine Valley on 023 626 3167 or
email manager@robertsonwinevalley.com
Friday 14 to Sunday 16 June
Cook Franschhoek:
Regarded as South Africa’s culinary capital, visi­
tors can once again look forward to the award­
winning Franschhoek Wine Valley’s annual
Cook Franschhoek, consisting of interactive
hands­on demonstration kitchens presented by
some of the Valley’s highly acclaimed chefs and
winemakers.
The demonstrations will take place throughout
the weekend, allowing guests the opportunity to
not only interact with the chefs and winemakers
but also master the art of intricate dishes. With
the focus on exclusivity,
each demonstration will
range from 8 to 30 peo­
ple, and costs will differ
by establishment.
Booking is essential
via
www.webtick­
ets.co.za.
For a detailed pro­
gramme visit www.cook­
franschhoek.co.za
or
contact the Franschhoek
Wine Valley offices on
021
876
2861.

Monday 17 to Sunday 23 June
Delheim Mushroom Week: While many
fungi fans remain tight lipped about their favour­
ite hunting spot for the elusive shroom, Delheim
Wine Estate lifts the lid on this secrecy with its
popular Mushroom Week which kicks off with
two exclusive foraging expeditions in its own for­
est on 17 & 18 June.
Want to know a Boletus Edulis from a pine
ring and discover the secret world of wild mush­
rooms?
Avid aficionados can slip on their boots and
baskets and join the Sperling family for an en­
chanting trudge through the forest in search of
these rare seasonal delicacies under the guid­
ance of Nora Sperling­Thiel and Gary Gold­
man aka “The Mushroom Hunter” – a guru with
a keen fungi sense and sharp eye who can spot
a camouflaged porcini in no time.

After working up an appetite in the forest, for­
agers will head to Delheim’s Vat Cellar for an
exquisite buffet­style lunch indulgence featuring
wild and exotic mushroom dishes, to be enjoyed
with a selection of Delheim’s latest vintages and
cellar gems.
There are only a few spots available for the
Delheim Wild Mushroom Forage and tickets cost
R250 per person, which include a short­course
in mushroom identification prior to the forest for­
age, as well as the languid cellar lunch (beverag­
es excluded).
The hunt starts at 10:30 and pre­bookings are
essential. For more information or to book, con­
tact Delheim at 021 888 4607; send an email
to restaurant@delheim.com, or visit www.
delheim.com.
Those who miss
out on the mush­
room foraging ex­
perience can still en­
joy an array of deli­
cious
wild
mushroom dishes at
the family­friendly
Garden Restaurant
throughout Delhe­
im’s popular Mush­
room Week until 23
June.

4

Winederous

30 Mei, 2013

Journey of discovery at

Spice Route
LISE BEYERS
Spice Route seems an intriguing
name for a wine label. Until one
realises that the very existence of
the Cape Winelands can be traced
back to the trading route to the
East which necessitated a halfway station at the Cape for the
ships to stock up on fresh supplies. But while those who centuries ago had a desire to explore
exotic flavours and experiences
would have had to wait for the
traders to return with their precious goods, today you can set off
on your own journey of discovery
by visiting a destination that is
within easy reach – Spice Route
at the foothills of Paarl Mountain.
The Spice Route range of wines,
with exotic names such as Chakalaka and Malabar, has been produced
for many years on a hidden Swartland farm belonging to Winelands
entrepreneur Charles Back. And
now this label has found a new home
in the Paarl Winelands, adjacent to
Back’s world-renowned wine estate
Fairview.
Back bought his neighbouring
farm, Seidelberg, almost two years
ago with a vision which has now developed this farm into a first in the
entire Winelands. He first changed
the name to Spice Route to be the
centre for his Swartland wines. And
then he set out and developed the
historic homesteads and old sheds
of the farm into an artisanal village.
Spice Route has now become an
experience that is unique to the
wine and hospitality industry. Here
you will find various artisans that
showcase their produce and share

their knowledge with the public.
The first stop is, of course, the
rustic underground Spice Route
Tasting Room. Spice Route is
known for its robust, spicy red
wines, which are guaranteed to enhance every occasion.
The Chakalaka, which is a blend
of red varietals – Syrah, Mourvèdre,
Carignan, Petite Sirah, Grenache
and Tannat – represents a fusion of
flavours, as does the unique, spicy
South African relish from which
Chakalaka takes its name.
Malabar is the flagship of the
Spice Route range, with a perfect
balance of spicy fruit. Spice Route
Pinotage is probably one of the best
I have tasted – rich, full flavoured
and bold. It is almost as if the flavours of the grapes coming from the
Swartland are more accentuated in
these wines.
And the Mourvèdre is no exception, with ripe flavours of pepper
and juicy fruit, yet almost delicate
on the palate. And the Syrah simply
takes your breath away.
The whites also offer a pleasant
surprise with Chenin blanc, Viognier and Sauvignon blanc being concentrated with richness and crisp
fruit flavours.
Next stop is a stroll to the close-by
Red Hot Glass studio. Here David
Jackson and Liz Lacey have been
producing hand crafted glass products since 2002. At Red Hot Glass
you can watch the fascinating process of molten glass being blown and
formed into works of art. A multitude of hand-blown bowls, vases,
perfume bottles, platters and lights
are available in a range of designs,
sizes and colours.
Adjacent to Red Hot Glass is the
Spice Route Restaurant with

young German chef Marion Kumpf
at the helm. Kumpf and her team offer guests a culinary journey, exploring the fusion between spice,
food and wine. The restaurant interior sets a tranquil theme throughout, embracing the natural surrounds.
Here culinary explorers can enjoy an array of dishes and discover
the fusion of traditional South African cooking with the various influences of cooking cultures along the
Spice Route, all the way from Europe to the East and the places that
once formed the empire of the Dutch
East India Company. Each dish is
carefully crafted and prepared to
complement the award-winning
Spice Route wines.
Marion has the rare knack of
combining natural ingredients to
awaken the flavours of any ordinary meal or beverage. She uses
them in a way that enhances both
the food and the spices in her dishes.
Her love of all things spicy has now
also inspired her to release her own
range of Spice Route Deli products.
The range consists of three spice
grinders – Treasure Chest, Smoked
Sea Salt and Sweet Berry Delight –
as well as a selection of condiments
– Waterblommetjie & Strawberry
Jam, Beetroot Piccalilli, Waterblommetjie Pickle and Crunchy Cucumber Ribbons.
The next stop is DV Artisan
Chocolates which is housed in a
magnificent Cape Dutch homestead. DV Chocolates has already
become famous since the De Villiers
family started the business from
their home in Hermanus.
They have now relocated to Spice
Route where the chocolate is made.
The De Villiers family is one of only

Winederous

30 Mei, 2013

Spice Route winemaker Charl du Plessis.
a few “Bean to Bar” micro batch
chocolatiers in the world. They
source only the finest quality cacao
beans, and roast the beans to develop their optimal flavor. Thereafter
the cacao beans are slowly and meticulously grinded, refined and
conched in custom-built equipment.
DV chocolates contain no artificial
colourings or flavourings – only
pure cocoa products.
The entire hand crafted process
can be watched on site.
And to wash the chocolates down
after a tasting, it was off to the
Wilderer’s Distillery & La Grapparia Restaurant, only a short
walk away. Master Distiller, Helmut Wilderer is an internationally
acclaimed Grappa and Eaux de vie
distiller and his distillery just outside Paarl is a popular destination
on the wine route.
Now he has opened a micro distillery at Spice Route and a restaurant,
offering delicious wood-fired pizzas,
flammkuchen and tapas to enjoy
with a glass of only the finest Grappa
or Schnapps. Visitors can also view
the distillation process and sample Marion has released her own range of unique condisome of the products.
ments and spice grinders which are avaiable at the
And just as you thought there can- restaurant.
not be more on offer, it is off to the
Cape Brewing Company (CBC). Here brew- of fine beers, you can watch the process of
master Wolfgang Koedel, previously of Pilau- beermaking take place around you.
And last but not least, is a stop at the adjanar Brewery in the Waterfront, painstakingly
brews some of the best beers I have tasted – cent Barley & Biltong Emporium. Here a
from a fresh and light pilsner right through glass CBC’s fine produce can be enjoyed, toto more robust weissbier. The beer is made gether with snack platters and an impressive
in the traditional fashion and from only the biltong menu. And while sitting in an almost
finest hops, malt and wheat – and mineral wa- Brauhaus atmosphere you can enjoy one of
ter which is sourced from a Paarl Mountain the most beautiful view of the Winelands.
So there you have it: One does not just visit
spring.
The tasting room is surrounded by the im- Spice Route – one goes on a delightful journey
pressive brewery and as you taste the array of discovery.

The head chef of Spice Route Restaurant, Marion Kumpf.

5

8

Winederous
30 Mei, 2013

Experience
HEDDA MITTNER
From 7 to 16 June Hermanus will be transformed by a ten-day celebration of the arts,
offering a feast of musical performances,
art exhibitions, high teas and soirees, food
and wine events and a host of stimulating
talks, demonstrations and workshops.
Hermanus FynArts is something completely different – a fusion of an arts festival and
a winter school. And there is no better place
to host such a vibrant and innovative event
than this ever-popular seaside town set
against a mountain backdrop covered in spectacular fynbos.
This bustling centre of the Overberg is
known for its hospitality, breathtaking scenery, award-winning wines, fabulous restaurants and trend-setting art galleries. All these
attractions will now be combined in one package, so come and experience Hermanus as
you’ve never experienced it before!

) Music
Listen to a full programme of concerts and
recitals, of which some of the highlights are:
Friday 7 June: Camerata Tinta Barocca
(BELOW) and special guest Richard Cock
present Bay Baroque.
Saturday 8 June: Angelo Gobbato with a
premiére of a kind: Songs my Mother Taught
Me, a performance of Italian songs he hasn’t
sung in public for nearly 60 years.
Sunday 9 June: Richard Cock and a choir
of 80 bring the ever popular Songs of Praise
to Fynarts.
Monday 10 June : Pianist Sulayman Human

Hermanus FynArts

performs at a soiree in a private home.
Tuesday 11 June: Charl du Plessis Trio in
Cross Over Jazz.
Friday 14 June: Celebrated soprano Zanne
Stapelberg and Kathleen Tagg (BELOW
LEFT), in the exuberant Soul of Fire.
Saturday 15 June: Vivace, classical guitar
duo, perform at a soiree followed by an
Evening with Francois du Toit and Jose Dias.
Sunday 16: The Cape Philharmonic Youth
and Wind Orchestra will put on a special day
to mark Youth Day: Music is Fun and Instrument Petting Zoo in the morning and a concert
in the afternoon.

) Art
Look at special exhibitions in nine galleries
in town and on eight wine farms along the Hermanus Wine Route: Dylan Lewis sculptures
on the lawn in front of The Marine Hotel; Guy
du Toit’s Talking Hares around the lake at
Sumaridge Wine Estate; Nikki Swanepoel’s
Nguni Heads and a bronze sheep by Wilma
Cruise at Lemm’s Corner in the town.
Wander along the Art Amble to galleries exhibiting works of more than 30 artists. Ardmore ceramics (ABOVE) and smaller pieces
by Lewis will be indoors at The Marine while
the historic Windsor Hotel will host an exhibition of ten top Cape ceramicists.
Make sure you pay a visit to the historic
de-commissioned synagogue for an exhibition of the work of invited artists. This is a
first for Hermanus – never before has this
beautiful building hosted an exhibition or
been opened to the general
public.
Another first for FynArts is
Space and Spaces, a special
Tondo exhibition of
the works of twenty
finalists in a competition sponsored by
the SA National
Space Agency. The
tondos, 50 cm in diameter, will be displayed on the oak
barrelheads in the
Bouchard Finlayson
wine cellar.
) Films
When last did you watch one of the
great SA classics – Katrina, Lord

Oom Piet, Die Kandidaat,
Hoor my Lied? Or a Hollywood
great in a vintage “bioscope”
complete with red velvet upholstery? Choose from a large
selection of vintage films
such as How to Steal a Million, Citizen Kane and Lili
and queue up for daily showings.

) Talks
Listen to conversations
that include Richard Cock,
Christopher Hope, Marilyn Martin (ABOVE),
Rodney Trudgeon, Strijdom van der Merwe,
Jenny Morris (aka the Giggling Gourmet - BELOW), Dylan Lewis, Trix Pienaar, Wilma Snyman,
Sandra Kotze and
many more. Browse
books at a Book Fair
or over a glass of wine
with a well-known author.
Highlights include
author
Christopher
Hope in conversation
with
award-winning
sculptor Dylan Lewis at
The Marine Hotel about
giving expression on
Saturday 8 June at 15:00,
while Fee Halstead will
talk to Louis van Heerden on the success story
that is Ardmore on Sunday 9 June at 13:30. Tea
and scones included.
) Workshops
Learn new skills by
joining any of
the interactive workshops and demonstrations offered by top ceramicists, painters, photographers, writers, chefs and even a chocolatier. These include Petros Gumbi of Ardmore
Ceramics, Christopher Hope (author), Dave
de Beer (photographer), the Kilzers, Peter
Tempelhoff (RIGHT) and
Jenny Morris
(chefs), Anli van Vuuren (chocolatier) and Richard
Smith
(painter).
) Wine & Food
Taste wine by itself or paired with
a taster menu,
blend your own
wine, experience
the subtleties of
pairing wine and
food or sign up for
a pairing of MCC
and canapés with
Allan Mullins.
Take a virtual tour of South African wines
or enjoy a fabulous 3-course tasting menu of
Cape Cuisine paired with 6 wines each weekday at 12 noon and 18:00 at Wine Village, presented by Paul du Toit.

Loosen up
and
relax
with High
Tea each afternoon, enjoy
social
suppers or
indulge
in
gourmet dinners.
You
needn’t even
drive – the FynArts
Hermanus Wine
Route Shuttle will take you to exhibitions,
tastings and other events on the eight participating wine farms.
) Fynbos
Join the full-day course at
the Fernkloof Nature Reserve
and learn all about the Cape
Floral Kingdom, view the botanical art of award-winning
artist Margaret de Villiers,
and enjoy the guided fynbos
walks and rambling trails.
) Children
Bring the whole family;
there is plenty of fun for
children too with crafts,
cartooning and a fun competition at the SA National
Space Agency based in
Hermanus. Accommodation options to suit all
pockets and preferences
are available from Hermanus Tourism.

) Come for a day, come for the weekend
or stay for the whole 10 days and be part of
this not-to-be-missed celebration! Hermanus
FynArts is presented by Hermanus Tourism
(Tel: 028 312 2629). Bookings can be done at
webtickets and the Hermanus Tourism office,
unless stated otherwise on the website. For
full programme details and special packages,
visit www.hermanusfynarts.co.za.

A 10-day celebration of Fine Visual Arts,
Music, Literature, Wine and Food from